The House Committee substitute for SB 8 (80 pgs) has been set for a hearing in House Public Education on Monday, May 15h to hear invited testimony only. The bill language addresses assessments as well as establishes an education savings account (ESA) program.
Chair Brad Buckley did move last night to hear the bill in a formal meeting but the House declined to suspend the rules on a vote of 65-76. Below is a HillCo report spotlighting those discussions:
Buckley moves to allow Pub Ed to meet at 9:15pm in formal for pending, referred, and committee business
- Bailes – Have bills that it is important to give attention to; you intend to bring a sizable CS of 80 pages?
- Buckley – Will be considering pending business
- Bailes – Does your list include an 80 page CS?
- Buckley – There is a bill with components we have heard many hours of testimony on
- Bailes – Are you aware of what the top line of pg 50 states? ESA program, is it your intention to bring this forward as a vehicle, bypass the committee process, and force a vote on that?
- Buckley – That component was heard & discussed in committee for 16 hours on April 11th
- Bailes – You have other separate bills that you have chosen not to vote out, but you’re trying to bring an 80 page CS to the body without that thoughtful consideration
- Buckley – Have heard the subject matter for 16 hours, and 80 hours on other aspects of the CS
- Bailes – You should be able to vote those bills out if you heard testimony, haven’t had a collective hearing on a bill that is the same as the 80 page CS
- Buckley – Committee will take up CS if House grants permission in a hearing this evening
- Bailes objects and asks for record vote
- Bailes speaks against the motion – Had extensive hearings on ESAs/vouchers & committee chose not to give bills a vote because there were problems, numbers didn’t add up; have a motion now to force this body to accept unvetted, unheard language; not the right way to do this
- Canales – This bill is 80 pages different from the original?
- Bailes – Correct
- Canales – Will there be a hearing with witnesses on this bill?
- Bailes – No intention to hold a hearing
- Canales – You’re not asking that a hearing not be held, you’re asking for a hearing to be held so witnesses can testify
- Bailes – Correct, no issue with bill being heard
- Motion for permission to meet fails (65-76)
